How to Write 电 (diàn) — Meaning “electricity”

Imagine a TV screen (like 曰) with a plug coming out from the bottom. The vertical hook is the plug's cord, and it reminds you that 电 means electricity and is used in 电视 (TV) and 电脑 (computer).

Write 电 with 5 strokes: first draw the 曰 radical (left vertical, top horizontal, two inner horizontals), then finish with a vertical stroke that curves left at the bottom into a hook. A common mistake is forgetting the hook or making the bottom stroke too straight – the hook is essential to distinguish it from similar characters.

曰 (yuè or yuē) is flat at the bottom with no extra stroke – it looks like a simple rectangle. 曱 (yuē) has a vertical line through the middle but no hook at the bottom. In contrast, 电 has a vertical stroke that goes down from the middle and ends with a clear hook to the left.

You will see 电 in many everyday words related to electronics and power, like 电话 (diànhuà – telephone), 电脑 (diànnǎo – computer), and 电影 (diànyǐng – movie). It is a core character for modern technology and is used widely in signs, menus, and product names across China.

Common words containing 电 include: 电话 (diàn huà) — Telephone; 电脑 (diàn nǎo) — computer; 电影 (diàn yǐng) — movie; film.